In a major breakthrough, the biotechnology company Extinction has successfully combined the genetic material of a mammoth that vanished 10,000 years ago with the stem cells of its closest living relative, the Asian elephant. The genetics of the two animals are 99.6 percent identical, as confirmed by the United States Colossal company. Scientists at Colossal have successfully programmed elephant cells into pluripotent stem cells from the fetal stage, a feat that has proven challenging for many other groups.
The next step for researchers is to test new stem cell lines to determine the genetic changes needed in the elephant’s genome to make it develop like a mammoth. The entire lineage of the woolly mammoth has been mapped, allowing scientists to identify the genes responsible for its unique features. These genes can potentially be transferred into the nucleus of elephant cells. Colossal plans to produce mammoth elephants in artificial wombs, rather than using endangered Asian elephants as surrogates.
While mammoth elephants could have environmental benefits, not all researchers believe they are the solution for protecting the permafrost. Colossal argues that the project could also benefit today’s elephants, as a mammoth-like elephant could survive in colder climates and help promote the return of mammoth steppes in places like Siberia. In addition to their work on mammoth elephants, the team at Colossal has also solved challenges related to cell reprogramming that could be useful for creating multipotent stem cells for other endangered species. The project remains complex with many obstacles ahead, but researchers are optimistic about
